


The Flame

by Jesi_Ki_Kage



Series: The Flame's Chosen [1]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, MMORPGs, because the idea wouldn't leave me alone, currently just a teaser/prompt, inspired by The Gamer, may write more later, mmorpg au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-20
Updated: 2017-10-20
Packaged: 2019-01-20 07:00:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12427389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jesi_Ki_Kage/pseuds/Jesi_Ki_Kage
Summary: "-one-year anniversary of the massive multi-player game that swept the world. We are here with-""-just announced that they will be adding a 13th Clan to the game play options. This is not to be confused with the non-playable Clan known as-""-the new clan will be initially populated by 100 randomly selected users who will lose their original characters if they accept. -""-everyone is now wondering what will the infamous Holder of The Flame do now? Will they bring the 13th Clan into the alliance or will-""-dedicated gamers are beginning to wonder if this new clan will lead to a character finally claiming the coveted title of 'The Flame's Chosen'. No one has held this title since the death of the young gamer who previously-"





	The Flame

**Author's Note:**

> Because I read The Gamer (a Korean manga) and inspiration struck. Then wouldn't leave me alone. I don't really like writing these characters with the actor names since I don't know the feel for them as well as Clexa and co but... it works best this way. So, once I get used to that and further develop the plot I'll probably expand this.
> 
> I'm not a big gamer so if anyone spots a misused term or has recommendations to improve it - or wants to write their own version - let me know/go for it. 
> 
> Hit me up @standinshadowedsilence

**_"-one-year anniversary of the massive multi-player online game that swept the world. We are here with-"_ **

**_"-what made The Flame so unique was the removal of items like health potions and instead a more reality based system were certain items and actions are required to trigger healing and other results. This system opened up an entirely-"_ **

**_"-the gaming platform which the Flame utilizes was made by the late Theodore and Alihana-"_ **

**_"-just announced that they will be adding a 13th Clan to the game play options. This is not to be confused with the non-playable Clan known as-"_ **

**_"-the new clan will be initially populated by 100 randomly selected users who will lose their original characters if they accept. -"_ **

**_"-everyone is now wondering what will the infamous Holder of The Flame do now? Will they bring the 13th Clan into the alliance or will-"_ **

**_"-dedicated gamers are beginning to wonder if this new clan will lead to a character finally claiming the coveted title of 'The Flame's Chosen'. No one has held this title since the death of the young gamer who previously-"_ **

**_"-in local news, the trial for the murder of renown mechanical engineer Jake-"_ **

**_"-a reminder that the C-LX VR platform has a safety feature built into allow users immersed in the world to still hear things like fire alarms in the real world which will cause their avatar to pause while the player is forcible returned to the real world in order to check their surroundings. This feature was added after the tragic deaths of designers-"_ **

"ELIZA LEX! GET OFF YOUR ASS AND COME HELP ME!"

"I'M COMING!"

  ***click***

With a sign one Eliza Lex rose from the battered second-hand couch and headed to her one of her best friend's bedrooms in the back. Having meet in undergrad the three of them had become inseparable, to the point where they agreed to move in together after graduation. Well, after they graduated. Eliza herself was still in med-school.

Walking into her friend's room Eliza couldn't help but laugh.

Lindsey was caught in the process of changing, clothes half-off but entangled in her bushy hair and snagged on knee brace. It appeared as if she had attempted to change her pants and when that had failed decided to change her shirt only to also get stuck there as well. Over all the image was hilarious.

"Oh, stop laughing miss high and mighty and help a lady out."

Grinning Eliza walked over, automatically helping her friend even as she teased the mechanic.

"How is it that you can change parts on over a dozen machines with your eyes closed but you can't change your clothes on your own?"

"It's not my fault the stupid brace-" Lindsey cut herself off. A flash of pain crossed her expression before she blanked it. "So, anything good on the news?"

Eliza sighed. "Just the anniversary of The Flame and various deaths."

"Oh." Lindsey winced again. This time because of which death she was sure have been on the news.

"Liza..."

"I'm fine Linds."

Lindsey didn't look like she believed her, but by this point Eliza had finished helping her get dressed. Both women stood there awkwardly for a moment. At last Lindsey sighed.

"Come on. Let's get going before you're late to your shift."

Normally Eliza would go by herself, however, today was Thursday. Lindsey had rehab at the hospital Tuesdays and Thursdays, so she would carpool with Eliza and hang out at the hospital until Eliza's lunch break at which point the other woman would give her a ride to work. Their third roommate - Marie - would then pick Lindsey up from work.

It'd been two months since Lindsey had been released after the accident. It'd be at least another three before she would be cleared to drive again.

Ten minutes later the house was empty.

No one would notice the blinking new email notification on the desktop until significantly later. By that point, everything would be different.

 

 

* * *

 

 

"-no Cory. I have no intention of telling her." The woman sighed into her phone as she entered the waiting room. Distracted from her searching, Eliza couldn't help but wonder who the woman was, who she was talking to, and why she sounded so tired.

"Of course, I'll be fine. I'm of the Woods Clan." Eliza rolled her eyes. It'd figure that The Flame would spread to influence people so much. Her respect for the stranger went down some. Not that she should be judging someone based on a one-sided conversation she overheard.

Quietly Eliza went back to flipping through medical records looking for the one she needed. With half an ear she heard the other woman end her phone conversation. Silence filled the small area until someone cleared their throat awkwardly.

"Um excuse me? I'm here to check in for my appointment. Alicia Woods?"

Eliza raised an eyebrow. Well. Maybe she had judged too soon that the woman was a Flame fanatic. Sighing to herself she sets down the file she was flipping through.

"Hang on. I'm not really supposed to handle appointments. The secretary stepped out, but I'll see if I can't grab one of the nurses."

Alicia nodded. She remained quiet while Eliza used the pager to call for the nearest nurse for the front desk. Eliza fought the urge to fidget as they waited. Turning back to the file she'd set down earlier she was startled when the other woman spoke again.

"So, what do you do? If you're not supposed to handle appointments."

"Oh." Turning back around Eliza met the other woman's eyes, momentarily distracted by the sharp green of her eyes. "I'm finishing up my doctor's degree here. Technically I know how to do it, but they don't like me doing the nurses jobs for them when I'm supposed to be a surgeon."

Eyebrows raised in surprise, although Alicia's expression remained otherwise blank. She opened her mouth to presumably ask another question when a harried nurse skirted around the corner.

"I'm sorry Dr. Lex, we had a- a situation with one of the patients."

Smiling softly, Eliza stepped out of the way and allowed the frazzled woman to login at the terminal and gather the needed paperwork.

"It's alright Misty. Was it old man Quan again? I can go talk to him if he's giving you problems again."

"Oh no Dr. Lex. There's no need for you to get involved. You do enough as it is. There's no need for you to worry. We'll handle it. You're supposed to be off shift anyways." Despite the placating tone Misty had started with, her gaze had narrowed onto the folder held loosely in Eliza's hands. Smiling sheepishly Eliza handed over the folder when Misty gestured for it.

"I just wanted to see how she was doing."

"Mhm. And she wouldn't tell you? She's your roommate after all." Eliza sighed.

"You know how stubborn she is. Even this morning she-"

" ***crackle*** _Doctor Eliza Lex, Doctor Eliza Lex, please report to your mother's office._ ***crackle*** "

Eliza sighed. Rolling her eyes she sent a soft, apologetic smile to Misty.

"Duty calls."

She tried not to think about the pair of green eyes that followed her out.

 

* * *

 

_The Flame. A world renown MMORPG which utilized the C-LX Virtual Reality gaming platform made up of gloves and headpiece. Characters can now choose from 14 Clans, one of which is the non-playable clan known as the Maunon, or the Mountain Men. At the time of the initial game release the original 12 clans were arrayed on a map set 90 years after the Apocalypse. Each clan was given a history, culture, and various clan only titles and positions they can achieve, as well as inter-clan titles and positions they could go after._

_A portion of that history included an on-going conflict with the non-playable clan. According to the game guide it was possible for players to defeat the Mountain, however, in the year since the games release no one has figured out how to do so. There is no record of any prerequisites, conditions, or anything else which may hint at how to defeat the mountain and the Mountain Men which live inside. Most players believe that doing so is the end-game condition for The Flame and so beating the Mountain may alter the very format of the game in some unpredictable manner._

_Players - upon choosing their clan of origin - are required to pass a short quiz on their clan history, choose a character name from the millions allowed for their clan, and other basic features for their character. Upon death the character resets, losing all titles, levels, and special items. Only non-quest items are kept, but as most of those have stat or level restrictions, players work very hard to avoid death and the character reset. Players can change clans upon petition and meeting the requirements set by the clan's current leaders._

_There is one aspect of the game lore that is standard across the clans. The Flame. A unique item which when claimed gives the player with it the title of 'The Commander', or 'Heda' in the games language. In order for a player to utilize the Flame they must first achieve the status of Natbilda or 'Nightblood', a status that so far appears to be randomly achieved. The clan of origin doesn't matter, as once one becomes a nightblood, their clan affiliation changes to that of 'Polis'. Confusion swept the game world when the first nightbloods and members of Polis were discovered. What followed was an extensive search of the world map and the discovery of a no-PVP zone known as 'The City of Polis'._

_Initially made up solely of NPC's, Polis was a treasure trove of information on game lore, quests, items, and player titles. Included among these NPC's is the Flame Keeper, Titus. When approached by a non-nighblood, Titus gives a standard speal about him being the protector (ruler) of Polis and advisor to The Commander - The Holder of the Flame as Titus calls them. Thus the media calling the player currently holding the Flame 'The Holder of the Flame' rather than Heda or the Commander. Political leaders didn't like the media calling a random citizen by such a seemingly high rank, even if it was just in a reference to a game._

_It wasn't until shortly before the current Commander's rise to power that the message Titus gives the nightblood was released to the public. Apparently, the nightbloods are told a significantly more in-depth version of the game lore. This includes what qualifications they must meet to become the Commander. Most interpret it as demonstrating three traits, passing a test on their lore knowledge, and equipping the Flame. It's the last on that lead to the standing belief that a nighblood must kill the other nightbloods to secure their rise to power. Most players - the ones not obsessive with PVP - think this is bull, as many who gain the nightblood status don't actually aspire to be the Holder of the Flame. That doesn't stop the threads, blogs, and comments about players needing to ensure the death of other nightblood players._

_Prior to about four months ago, the clans had waged war against each other as well as the Mountain. Then a new Commander rose to power. No one knows how she found the Flame, only that her first act as Commander was to begin uniting the Clans. Once people started to get on board with an alliance between the Clans, new titles and positions were discovered, serving to increase public sway to the new alliance._

_For a short period of tie during this initial uniting period it looked like the game world would also have their first Flame's Chosen - the second-in-command to the Holder of the Flame. At least that's what everyone assumed when news of the new Commander's shadow was discovered. This shadow was another female character who was nearly always spotted at the Commanders side. An overheard conversation confirmed that the shadow player would become the Chosen. Neither player was seen without the other. Until one day the Commander's Shadow didn't._ _No one knew what happened until someone connected the dots to a local gamer dying while playing the game._

_Just after that report all rumors of the player chosen as the Flame's Chosen were squashed. Brutally. In the three months since then the Holder of the Flame has ruled over the world of the Flame and lead multiple attempts to defeat the mountain. Each one only slightly more successful than the previous. But that success cost a lot of well-known players their character stats. Shortly after they began, the assaults stopped. A balance returned to the game world. Violence against the mountain and competitions between the clans to keep from outright war._

_This is the situation into which the 13th Clan will be added. We can only wonder how the new clan will adapt, and who will be chosen for the initial 100 members._

     -A thorough summary of The Flame's history, by Bos-Kin Gamers

**Author's Note:**

> Heading this off now - Alicia was adopted into the Woods family and took their name for ~reasons~ to be explained if I continue this.
> 
> All feedback welcome. Hit me up @standinshadowedsilence


End file.
